A day after the Sikhs’ mini parliament — Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) — placed under suspension the services of Panj Pyaras (Guru’s beloved five), solution to the deadlock remained evasive.
The emergency meeting of the SGPC executive, convened after it suspended the Panj Pyaras for their unprecedented summoning the Akal Takht jathedar and four other Sikh head priests, authorised SGOC chief Avtar Singh Makkar to take a final call on the issue.
The meeting, held in Chandigarh, turned out to be a stormy affair with majority of the SGPC executive members reportedly opposing the suspension of Panj Pyaras. However, it ended on an “indecisive” note.
The meeting was attended by 14 of the 15 members of the executive except nominated executive member from Amritsar, Mangal Singh Sandhu. Makkar, when contacted after the meeting, said that there was “no immediate decision” on the matter.
Sources informed The Pioneer that no decision was taken in the meeting, but “all rights regarding decision on the issue have been given to the SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar”.
The suspension of Panj Pyaras and other SGPC officials came after the ‘beloved five’, in a rare move, summoned jathedars (head priests) of all the five takhts (Sikhs’ temporal seats) for October 23, Friday, on the issue of exonerating Dera Sacha Sauda sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and later revoking the same.
later in the evening, the SGPC announced suspension of all Panj Pyaras giving rise to a debate over the powers enjoyed by the SGPC and the Panj Pyaras.
Sikh scholars argued that the Panj Pyaras’ role was not only confined to baptising Sikhs, but they can also take command to deal with any crisis confronting the community in case eventuality arises.
It was also argued that Guru Gobind Singh had treated Panj Pyaras above him, and by suspending them, the SGPC has put down Sikh master.